2008-10-30 - Who's That Girl?
Later afternoon, early evening finds Logan, Jean, and Kyle on the riverwalk beside the mighty Hudson. To the casual observer, the trio appears to be out on a stroll. There's a purpose to the night's walk, however -- they're searching, though in the case of the two ferals, perhaps /hunting/ would be a more apt term. "According to the computer," Jean says to Logan, "this area has seen quite a bit of activity from our...friends." The word is colored with more than a hint of distaste. Friends, indeed. Kyle Gibney sniff sniff sniffs. "This place stinks.." he mutters.. and that coming from Kyle means a lot. He glances towards Jean and the funky lil' hand held computer she's got. "That thing giving ya any more blips yet?" Logan nods, moving a bit to one side of Jean. He isn't entirely hiding his dangerous body language. If nothing else, any street crooks that see them will know to back down...whilst random civilians will only see a short guy who's a little on the, ahem, tough side. "We'll find them." Alessia is trailing behind the other three. Nothing suspicious here, not at all. She's more just sort of watching where she's walking, than actively looking around. One thing very unexpected happens abruptly. In the middle of the riverbank upstream a little ways, a vortex of coruscating light and windy sounds erupts. The colors are red, orange, blue, white, very very bright, and for the briefest moments, a window to another world and time can be seen, a flicker of advanced technology, the sound of someone's final scream of pain and horror abruptly cut off, and whatever it is, something's exploding quite hugely on the other side. A human-shaped form can be seen backlit against the explosion, and it seems the muffled /thump/ of the shockwave has cast that form through the vortex and onto the riverbank, smelling of ozone. "There are plenty of blips," Jean confirms, her brow creasing as she studies the handheld device. "I'm not certain that any of these are what we're loo--" Her words are cut off by the sudden explosion of light and sound. She throws a hand up to shield her eyes from the too-bright light, and instinctively tosses up a telekinetic forcefield to shield herself and her companions from the shockwave. When the light fades, she blinks away the spots and after images left by the light. "What in the world...? I think there was someone..." She rubs at her eyes, trying to clear her vision. And the effect on Logan? Let's just say, screams of torment don't have a good effect on him. He charges towards the portal...which, of course, closes before he gets there. He goes clean -past- whoever came through. "Grrrrr." Yeah, he's not thinking straight. Blame the assault of sound on sensitive ears. Which probably aren't even working right now. Kyle Gibney doesn't like abrupt or unexpected.. and he growls, crouching where he stands at the light show. He raises up a hand to shield his eyes. "Mmuaarrrrr!!!" He stays near Jean and Alessia, perhaps protecting the rest of the 'pride'. Alessia flinches in reaction, eyes shutting tight. She's turning her head on instinct, telekinetic shield or no, before she's blinking away after images. "What in tha name of .." Patting Kyle's shoulder, trying to relax him, even while trying to slip past him. Logan can look for the vortex, it's the person she wants to check out. Looks like a person anyhow. Whoever's dying on the other side of the portal, it's a female in shape and timber of her voice, but her face can't be seen as the portal squinches back up and vanishes with a zipping sound and a final 'plink!' The smells from the other side still linger. Lots of metal and oils, pollution, the remains of computer parts, smoke, burnt flesh. The slumped form on the riverbank stirs, and Rachel opens her eyes in a new time, lips parting in a soft moan of pain. "Come on, Kyle." Jean knows better than try and slip past the feral boy. She takes off at a run towards the riverbank. The vortex is not her concern; it's no longer a threat, but the person who was tossed through it is. Are they even alive? Are they friend or foe? Why were they sent here? There'll be time for those questions now. Only the first is really of importance right now. She doesn't slow until she's reached the girl on the riverbank. "Are you alright?" Kneeling beside the girl, Jean looks her over for any visible signs of injury. Logan turns as it closes, snarling, then he takes deep breaths. Control. Control. Whoever screamed is beyond their aid. "Be careful. For all we know she's a murderer," he says as reason returns. The claws were out, now, of course, they are resheathed as he steps towards Jean and the...girl. Kyle Gibney hisses lowly and advances, the edge of his aggression toned down a bit. He doesn't let either woman get too far as he moves swiftly after Jean and towards the fallen woman. As he moves he looks around, paranoidly expecting for more explosions to appear. Weirder things have happened after all. Once he's certain they aren't about to be mobbed by more light blasts, he turns his full attention on the woman. Grrrrwwlll... snifff sniff sniff? Alessia is close behind Jean, kneeling on the other side, a wince as she lets herself 'look'. Blue eyes glancing at Jean, who probably knows better than she does that the girl is in pain. Reaching back, patting Kyle's arm in a gesture for him to take it easy. She worries at her bottom lip, considering. "Jus' take it easy, all right? Can ya talk?" Rachel Summers blinks and shakes her head slowly. Bad idea. Another groan of pain. That voice. Inquisitively, her head turns toward the sound of Jean's voice, sorrow etched on her face. For the briefest of instants, it appears as if there are a series of tattoos radiating from her nose on her face, but they vanish swiftly. As the others cluster around her, she shrinks away from Logan's obvious initial response, but the others, and their questions. And then... Jean's face swims into her view, and more tears and more blinking. "Can't be..." Her gaze swivels to the others, and there are no signs of recognition at all, and she begins looking around. "Where...?" Even the trees and the muddy-looking water are stared at in amazement as if she hasn't seen them before. Or in a long time. "Who...?" "Be that as it may," Jean asides to Logan, "she's hurt." Then to Rachel, "Just lie still. It'll be alright. You've had a very nasty fall." There are all sorts of potential, unseen injuries -- a concussion, broken bones, perhaps even internal bleeding. It was a pretty wild crash. "You're in New York, and my name is Jean. Lie still and just concentrate on breathing. Any sharp pains?" Logan nods. "We should be ready to get her out of here. Depending on who saw that." He forces himself to relax, then sniffs deeply at the girl. . o ( Umm. Jean... ) He knows she'll like as not hear. But this girl...smells -very- familiar. And very like...well. Jean. Kyle Gibney moves in a little closer, his pupils wide ovals to take in all available light. He takes another sniff. The woman is no feral.. so he decides this is more random NYC craziness, having nothing to do with their hunt. Which is both good and bad. Grrr. He wanted to find those thugs! growl. He peers at the red haired woman, it's likely he's picking up on what Logan has. "Guess the hunt's over..." he murmurs. Alessia narrows her eyes at the there-then-gone tattoos, before she's patting the young woman on the shoulder. "It'll be all right, honey." As soothing as she can manage while keeping empathy firmly in check. "Jeannie's tha best to have on hand, sunshine. She'll make sure you're all right." Managing a smile, another look at Jean. She can't help if Jean doesn't tell her how. Still. that. voice. And it's not a hallucination. It's not going away. "J... Jean...?" Rachel asks hoarsely. "That's... that's not possible," she continues, shaking her head, regardless of instant migraine, in denial. "No..." And Logan's and Kyle's sniffing. "Who are you?" she demands, looking more intently at Jean. "No, no sharp pains." And then she hears Kyle's words. "Hunt...." All the blood seems to drain from her face, and terror and fear and a fight or flight instinct takes over, no matter how soothing Alessia is. "GET AWAY FROM ME!" she shouts and scrambles away, trying to muster her own abilities to defend herself, tears streaming down her face at the seeming 'betrayal'. Jean's face and voice. A hunt. Fortunately, she's too wasted from her jaunt to muster more than a puff of telekinetics, pale pink and golds melding into flame shapes, but that's it. It doesn't even provide a barrier, although she does her best to escape anyway. «Hmm?» Jean's thoughts are noticeably distracted as she responds to Logan. She's in doctor mode, and has hardly even noticed Rachel's appearance as she's so concerned with the potential injuries. Rachel's outburst snaps her instantly out of said mode. "Hey, whoa!" She holds up her hands, palms out and fingers spread, but otherwise remains still and right where she is. A quick scan of Rachel's panicked surface thoughts clue Jean in and puzzle her. "We're not hunting you. It was a /bad/ choice of words. We were searching for a group of mutant-hunters. You're safe." The 'puff' of telekinesis is interesting, but Jean is more worried for the girl's well-being. "I can assure you that it is quite possible that I am Jean Grey. Do you want to see my driver's license?" She smiles a little as she says it, trying to soothe the frightened girl. "This is Logan, Kyle, and Alessia." Logan shifts his body language. "Like she said. We weren't hurting you. And she is Jean, I'll vouch for that." . o ( Dammit, Jean, look at her. Properly. ) "You're...you fell through a portal. It's 2008, by the way." Because...time travel is one definite explanation. And if this girl isn't a close blood relative of Jean Grey, he'll eat one of his best Cubans! Kyle Gibney erks.. glancing at the others with a 'what did I say?' "Er.. We are hu..er Lookin' for some mofo' who were huntin' mutants.." !" he murmurs out, agreeing with what the others have already voiced. "My bad..." The empath raises her hands, shaking her head. "No, no, it's all right. Ah promise, we're not after ya." Her hands are up much in a mirror pose of Jean's, blue eyes overly bright. "She's not lyin' to ya, hon. Ah.." A blink, she's looking at the girl, not letting her empathy show her what's moving under the surface, a trail of eyes from her to Jean, then back. "Her name is Jean, Ah swear. Kyle didn't mean we were huntin' you." Just a subtle nudge with her empathy, trying to tame the panicked feelings of the girl. Rachel Summers looks around her, seeking a path away from these people, but then Jean's voice again. The word 'safe'. And then Jean's full name. "It can't be... you can't be her... she's dead." The words are torn from her with all the torment of a child. Even as she splashes in the water, clutching a fallen tree as if it will protect her, green eyes switching from face to face, fear still very much evident in her emaciated features, Logan's words impinge on her consciousness. "No... you're lying," she denies immediately. "That's... that's twenty years ago..." Although her immediate flight isn't quite halted by Alessia's use of empathy, the calmness takes the edge off her panic. Jean gives Logan a quick, puzzled glance then looks back at Rachel. This time, she really /looks/ at the girl. The hair? Well, that's not so uncommon. Alessia's a redhead, too, and that doesn't make her Jean's daughter. There are other things, though. It's the 'Scott' in Rachel's features that Jean notices first, and then she begins to match some of her own looks to the girl's. No way. It just isn't possible. The logical, science part of her brain rejects the possibility even as she staring the evidence right in the face. "I... You... Scott..." Oh, wow. She has to put a hand on the ground to steady herself. "Well. This is... I'm very much alive. I /am/ Jean Grey, though... perhaps not /your/ Jean Grey. Or... I am, but not yet?" Time travel. So confusing. "It's okay, we aren't going to hurt you. What's your name?" And yes, Logan noticed the 'Scott' too, in features and scent. Does this mean he should give up on Jean? Maybe...maybe not. She's not necessarily from their future. "Yeah. You're a time traveler. Your dad's around somewhere too. Although this -probably- isn't actually your past, but a different past...I hate time travel." Oh the smell of fear.. it's quite.. captivating? attention getting? But it is a bad thing to focus on.. very bad.. So he tries his hardest to focus in on other things.. like the stink of the river, the emotions of his commrads. "Mebbe she's like TJ..." he tells the others.. He begins to pace around the edge of where every one is standing. Alessia can't help it, she's putting a hand on Jean's shoulder. "Breathe, Jeannie. We've seen people from..well, not here before, right? So what's a little time travel, right?" She's trying to be upbeat, casual. Then eyes travel back to Rachel before she stands up, brushing off her jeans. "So ya know who we are, sunshine, what might your name be?" A glance at Jean, then back to the younger version. "Ah promise ya, none of us have any interest in hurtin' ya." Rachel Summers didn't really know about alternate realities in her own world, so she's left flat-footed in that regard. "I can't time travel!" she protests Logan's theory immediately. "I'm a telepath!" But she's not running away or anything, although the wet feet aren't making her happy. "How's this possible? Who's TJ?" And then, she remembers a question. Asked twice. "I'm... Rachel... Rachel Summers." Whether it's something she picked up in his voice or his thoughts, that 'something' causes Jean to glance at Logan again. It's Kyle she responds to. "Maybe... Perhaps they're from the same place." Slowly, Jean stands up from her crouch and brushes the dirt from the ground off of her hands. She offers Alessia a faint, fleeting smile before looking back at Rachel. "Rachel. I like that. TJ is the daughter of a friend of ours, whose circumstances are similar to yours. Are you okay?" They've established that she's not injured, but... "Hungry? Cold? I'm sure we've got a blanket in the car." Logan shakes his head. "Ya don't have to be able to do it yourself. You were in some kind of lab. Who -knows- what blew up." He stays back, letting Jean deal with Rachel. He knows he's got off on something of a wrong foot with her, so does not push it. Kyle Gibney pauses his pacing for a moment, peering out into the water and then the distances around. "I'll go get the blanket..." he murmurs and starts heading back the way they came to fetch it. He isn't really the comforting type, so he'll go do something else useful. Oh, now hungry is something the empath can fix! "If you're hungry, ya can go back with us Ah think. Hungry Ah can fix, an' it's always easier to talk when your stomach isn't complainin' at ya." Keeping an eye of sorts on Jean, this can't be easy for her to take in. The empath probably would have still been staring like an idiot. Rachel Summers has to take a moment. It's just... too much. She shivers at the mention of being cold. After awhile, if you're always hungry, the stomach no longer really rumbles anymore. "I was where?" she asks Logan blankly. "I... don't remember." And thus she sits on that fallen tree trunk she had originally intended on scrambling over and hiding behind, sitting on it with a sort of flopping noise, and her gaze goes to Jean. You don't have to have enhanced senses to know her heart's beating fit to beat the band, and it's obvious she's soaking up the sight of someone who is very, very familiar to her. "I.... I remember we were trying... we were trying to save everyone," she begins, furrowing her brow. Then she looks at Alessia intently. "I'm sorry... I don't know who you are... or him... or him..." And she lets out a long sigh. "Why can't I remember?" "Thank you, Kyle." Jean smiles at the feral boy, then looks back at Rachel. No, this isn't easy for her to take in. She's confused and desperately wishing Scott were here. If wishes were horses... Not much she can do but try to cope. "Rachel..." Jean moves forward and into the water, not caring if her feet get wet. Her movements are slow and as deliberately non-threatening as she can possibly be. "It's okay. Why don't you come back with us? We've got plenty of room, we'll get you something clean and dry to wear, get you fed, and worry about figuring out the why and how and everything after that. I think we've all got a lot of questions, but out here in the cold by the river is hardly the best place to be addressing them. Perhaps the Professor and I can help you with remembering, too." Logan nods. "Agreed. And I promise, I won't let any harm come to you." She's Jean's daughter...and as much as she might wish he was -his- daughter...he won't let anything happen to Jean's flesh and blood. His sincerity is obvious to those who know him. Unfortunately...Rachel doesn't. Alessia slides her hands in her pockets, and it's not like she's a threatening figure to begin with. "Jus' breathe an' relax. It'll all be all right." Sort of the same advice she just gave Jean. Shrugging. "Ah might not exist, where you're from. Who knows? Don't sweat it, honey. Ya've had a rough trip, hmm? Probably made your head a little woozy, even hurtin' some. We'll jus' take it slow, get ya home, get ya warm, fed...all those things Jeannie was talkin' about." Rachel Summers watches Kyle's movements away from them, then focuses on Jean some more, especially when Alessia suggests going home, getting fed, good things she misses desperately. "Th.. thanks," she says to Logan before Jean's words sink in. "The Professor!" she exclaims with wide eyes, bolting upright and then promptly wobbling. "He's alive too..." she breathes. "He'll make it right..." Such is the blind faith of a child translated into an adult. "Okay..." And she lets Jean and the others lead her away from the riverbank, splashing out of the water. And then as the reality starts sinking in a little, she begins looking a bit furtive and... ashamed? Logan earns a smile from Jean with his promise. She's quick to stand and reach out a steadying hand to Rachel when she begins to wobble. "Yes, the Professor is alive and well, too. He'll help to make things right." It's what he does, after all. "Are you hungry, Rachel? We could stop for a snack, on the way home. Maybe grab a quick burger or something." While not a fan of fast food, it does have its usefulness, on occasion. "Alessia is a great cook. She makes the best fried chicken." The situation is... awkward, at the very least, and so Jean tries to make it less so with small talk, focusing on the little things in the here and now. There's so much to wrap her head around, it makes it easier to cope. Kyle Gibney runs and runs and oh look it's the car.. and it doesn't take long for him to gather up the blanket and then rush back towards the river and where the others are. "I got it!" he calls out, when he's half way there. Hopefully the woman won't be hypothermic before he gets there. "Jeannie's jus' bein' nice, talkin' sweet about me so Ah'll make her more of those cookies she likes. " Moving to help Jean by being near Rachel, near enough to catch her if need be, but trying not to crowd her. "Ya got any favorites? Ah can make ya up somethin' quick when we get there, but if ya got a favorite food, Ah can make that up for later. Ah'm a big fan of comfort food." Not that she looks it. Rachel Summers nods, the shock of her travel starting to catch up with her. And finally, her stomach rumbles briefly. "Th... thanks..." she says gratefully to them all one by one, but she can't help staring at Jean. And tears silently course down her cheeks once more as she lets her mom... sorta... lead her and the others away from the river, back to a place she considers home, no matter what time she's in. Category:Logs